Randeep to play Sarabjit in film
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 24
Randeep Hooda will play the lead role in the biopic on Sarabjit Singh, who spent 22 years in Lakhpat Jail in Lahore before he was killed there in May 2013. Aishwarya Rai will portray Dalbir Kaur, Sarabjit’s sister.
Confirming the choice of Randeep Hooda, Dalbir Kaur today said that film director Omung Kumar, of Mary Kom fame, would soon prepare a schedule for the shooting of the film.
There are reports that two actors — Randeep Hooda and Irrfan Khan — were shortlisted to play the role of Sarabjit Singh. The director opted for Randeep Hooda because of his North-Indian appearance.
“Before the shooting, I will spend some time with Aishwarya and Randeep to explain that how Sarabjit spent his childhood and how he lived before inadvertently slipping into Pakistan territory,” said Dalbir Kaur.
“If all goes well, the shooting of the film will begin in October and it will be ready for release in May next year,” she said.
The story of this biopic has been co-authored by eminent writer Rajesh Beri and Utkarshini Vashishtha.
Sarabjit Singh was awarded capital punishment by Pakistan in an alleged espionage case. He belonged to Bhikhiwind, a small town at a short distance from the Indo-Pak border near Amritsar.
Though the film will revolve around Sarabjit, the main focus will be on how Dalbir Kaur valiantly fought for her brother and single-handedly made it a national issue, forcing the political leadership of the time to take up the matter at the diplomatic level with the Pakistan Government. She even went to meet Sarabjit Singh in the Lahore jail.
